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What should I know about carbon bars?

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What should I know about carbon bars?

Old 03-31-21, 07:57 PM
  #1  
GeoffNA
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What should I know about carbon bars?

I'm thinking about installing carbon bars and have some questions:

- They are 780mm in length. Mfr. max length is 720mm. What are the risks of going shorter?

- I have Ergon grips. Are they safe for the bars?

- I have Specialized P2 Overendz bar ends. Packaging says their CNC alloy bar end plugs are required for carbon bars. Would it be okay to use a bar end mirror that plugs into the bar? Would the insert on the mirror end be sufficient?

Thanks in advance.
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Old 03-31-21, 08:45 PM
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Russ Roth
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The big thing with carbon bars is following torque spec. Unless you've been installing bars for years on a regular basis you shouldn't even try without a torque wrench, and if you have all that experience you should still use a torque wrench. Getting the stem bolts right is critical. The Ergons should be safe, they usually use a clamp ring, just snug the bolt lightly. Unless the bars specify that they are designed for bar ends, you can not use a mirror and have to use the plugs as directed. The ends of the bars are usually a touch thin and have a greater chance of cranking if the plug isn't there unless specifically designed. Carbon bars are nice, I like them on my gravel bike, but they have their limits. As to cutting them, wrap where you want to cut with tape, draw your line and use a very fine tooth or carbon specific blade for a hacksaw. Carbon bars can be cut if done right.
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Old 04-01-21, 05:11 AM
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DorkDisk
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Carbon can make great bars but is easily crushable with neglect, so one needs to take a few precautions:

1/ Make sure your stem is crabon compatible. Not all are.
2/ Use a torque wrench for everything that attaches to it: stem face, grips, shifters, levers, accessories
3/ Use a carbon specific blade for cutting, try to go all around the tube first instead of cutting straight through
4/ Use carbon paste at stem/bar junction; avoid grease on carbon
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